WEST AUSTRALIAN GALE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 78, 28 March 1912, Page 5

WEST AUSTRALIAN GALE.

TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS BEING RESUMED-

OVER SEVENTY FATALATIES

Perth, March 27

The Postal Department is working strenuously to restore telegraphic communication north of Roeboarne. Port Hedland, where it is possible that the Koombana is sheltering, was spoken for a mojnent, but the line immediately failed again. ( A rumour is being circulated that the steamer is ashore at Ninety-mile Beach.

A. message received from Port Hedland, which was dispatched at nbm via Broome and Port Darwin, states that there is scarcely any damage r.t Port Hedland, but it is estimated that thirty-two whites and forty coloured persons were drowned in the cyclone. The Bullarra has returned to Port Hedland. She was unable to find any trace of the Koombana, which is now seven days out from Port Hedland to Broome, a trip which generally occupied twenty-four hours.

MISSING KOOMBANA

''Received 28, 9.35 a.m.) Perth, March 28

A report from Cossack shows that the town suffered little damage from the cyclone but fences were blown and iron telegraph poles were snapped.

The lugger Mary H. Shaw was wrecked at Lewis Island. The crew swam ashore and lived on shell fish and a bag of flour for four days before being rescued. A large fleet of luggers and steamers are proceeding to patrol the coast and neighbouring islands in the hope of getting signs of the Koombana. One of the most experienced navigators on the coast opines that the wind and tide combined would carry the Koombana on the Rowling Shoals, a treacherous coral reef a hundred and twenty miles west of Port Hcdland. In that case probably she would not last long. If the Koombana ran before the wind she should have reported before this. The following Fremantle passengers are supposed to be aboard the Koombana : Captain Parson, Messrs Davies, Simpson, Forrest, C. Piper, G. Piper, Slade, Perkins, Dalton, Hayes, Spark, Purcell, Poor, Harper, Rustle, M'.lne, W. H. Smith, Pitcher, Clinch, Main, Cowan, Craigic, Taylor, Freney, Evans, W. Davis, Baker, Martin, Hereford, Greensmith, Vasey, McSwain, McKibbon, Yiles, Goodhart, Doyle, Baker, Mcßouble. ' Captain Allen commands her